How to Repair Stainless Welds

Preparation

• 1

  Determine the grade of the stainless steel to be welded; it will commonly be either 304L or 316L, and these require different fillers (the wire that’s fed into the weld and heated to join the steel). Feed the correct filler into the MIG welding gun.

• 2

  Select the correct gas mixture; for MIG welding on stainless steel you’ll achieve the best results with 97.5 percent argon and 2.5 percent carbon dioxide.

• 3

  Clear the welding area of anything flammable.

• 4

  Clean the area of metal to be welded with an angle grinder, then brush off all the grains to leave a clear, shiny surface.

Welding

• 5

  Put on the welding helmet and heavy welding gloves to save you from burns which can happen due to the sparks emitted during welding.

• 6

  Check the valve to the shielding gas; it should be open. Attach the grounding clamp from the welder to the piece of stainless steel you’re welding. Ensure the filler wire reaches the tip of the welding gun.

• 7

  Press the trigger on the welder and start to play a bead along the weld. Work the tip of the welder in a zigzag shape along the metal. Make each weld about 2 inches long, going along the top of the seam to be welded. Move the welding gun upward, working from the bottom of the metal to the top until you’ve completed the weld. Turn off the welder. Leave the metal to cool, then inspect your work.

• 8

  Start the angle grinder and grind down the weld. Hold the grinder away from you to prevent the sparks from coming up in your face and onto your clothing. Continue until you’ve removed any excess filler from the weld; this will allow you to inspect your work and determine whether there are any gaps or if you’ve laid the bead well enough. Work lightly so as not to remove all the weld, but take off all the weld splatter.